Replacing a Lost License

Lost your license? You can apply for a duplicate Mississippi driver's license in person or online through the Department of Public Safety. If you apply for a duplicate online, all information must be the same, no changes will be made, and the license will be mailed to the address on the lost license.

Acceptable Forms of ID

If you apply in person at your local driver's license office, you will need to provide two forms of identification. You can either supply two of the following documents from Group 1, or one from Group 1 and one from Group 2.

Primary Group

• Driver's license (as long as it has not expired in the last six months).

• Original or certified birth certificate (from the Bureau of Vital Statistics or State Board of Health bearing a raised seal).

• State-issued identification card (as long as it has not expired in the last six months).

• Certain U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS―formerly called Immigration and Naturalization Service, or INS) documents (check with the state regarding specific documents).

• Court order, such as for adoption or name or sex changes (but the order must contain your full name and date of birth).

• Military identification.

• Valid U.S. or Canadian passport (passports issued from any other country must be accompanied by appropriate USCIS documentation).

Secondary Group

• Bureau of Indian Affairs Card or Indian Treaty Card (tribal identification cards will not be accepted).

• Court order that does not include your birth date.

• Employer identification card.

• Foreign birth certificate (translated by a state-approved translator).

• Health insurance card.

• IRS or state tax forms (W-2s will not work).

• Marriage certificate or license.

• Hospital or doctor medical records.

• Military dependent identification.

• Military discharge or separation papers.

• Affidavit from a parent or guardian (he or she must show up in person and submit a certified or notarized affidavit stating that he or she is the parent or guardian).

• Photo gun permit.

• Pilot's license.

• Certified school record or transcript.

• Social Security card (nonmetal).

• Student identification card with a photo.

• Vehicle title or registration.

• Voter registration card.

Proof of Residency

Along with the identification required, you will also need to provide proof that you reside in the state of Mississippi. The following might work: electric or water bill, lease agreement, vehicle-registration receipt, mortgage documents, homestead exemption receipt, bank statement, notarized employer verification on company letterhead (with a phone number) that states your address, your parent or guardian's state driver's license (valid for those who are under 21).

Fees

The cost to receive a duplicate license in Mississippi is $5. The second time you lose it and apply for a duplicate license, you will pay $10.

When You're Away

If you lose your license while traveling to another state or country, you don't have a lot of options. You'll either have to wait until you return to Mississippi to go in person to a driver's license office, or you can get the ball rolling by applying for a duplicate license online. Your new license will be sent to the address on file within 10 to 12 business days; someone at that address will have to then forward your license to you wherever you are staying.

If your address has changed or you don't know certain information―such as your driver's license number―you have no other choice but to apply for a duplicate in person.

It's a good idea when traveling to carry photocopies of your driver's license in a safe place, as well as another form of identification, such as your passport.